Aston Martin Wants More Lagondas To Battle Bentley And Rolls-Royce

"We're looking for something that breaks the status quo."

Aston Martin means business these days. Aside from the recent launch of the all-new DB11 and the upcoming next generation Vantage and Vanquish, the UK carmaker is also teaming up with Red Bull to build a mid-engined Ferrari 488 GTB fighter. Oh, and there’s a little something called the Valkyrie on the way. In addition, Car and Driver has learned that AM wants to bring back yet another nameplate from its long history, Lagonda. CEO Andy Palmer told C/D that, thanks to a return to profitability, there are now two new Lagonda sedans in the pipeline.

The goal is to launch them together in 2023. Their targets?Those Bentley and Rolls-Royce sedans that have proven to be highly profitable for parent companies Volkswagen and BMW, respectively. “The truth is, I don’t want either of them to be what you’d call a traditional sedan,” Palmer told C/D. “If we just do another three-box sedan, it’s going to be hard to break into that market. So what I’m challenging the design guys to do is look for something that breaks that duopoly (between Rolls-Royce and Bentley), but which still has appeal to what is a relatively conservative market and still very much a chauffeur-driven market.”

But one thing is for sure: neither will be SUVs, a separate project entirely, currently called the DBX, that AM is also busy developing right now. However, Palmer confirmed that both Lagondas will ride on the same large car platform that’ll underpin the DBX. Aston Martin only very recently offered the very limited production Lagonda Taraf, which was based on the Rapide. This time it seems like Aston Martin isn’t going for limited numbers, something it can’t do if it’s serious about making a dent in Bentley and Rolls-Royce sales. "We're looking for something that breaks the status quo," Palmer summarized.

Audi RS Q8 Looks Ready To Battle The BMW X6 M

Essentially, it will be the German equivalent to the Lamborghini Urus.

We’ve known for some time that Audi is cooking up a new flagship SUV to take on the likes of the BMW X6 M and Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 Coupe. Nothing has been officially announced yet, but last year Audi filed a trademark for the RS Q8, suggesting that a high-performance version of the new Q8 is on the cards to take on the upcoming BMW X6 M and Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 Coupe. Essentially, it will be the German equivalent of the Lamborghini Urus, and our spies have caught what appears to be a prototype RS Q8 being tested.

Don’t be deceived by those quad exhaust pipes at the back. Audi has tried to disguise the prototype by making it look like an SQ8 with quad tail pipes when RS versions usually have large oval exhausts. Audi pulled off a similar trick with the RS Q3, too. Why, then, do we think we’re looking at a prototype RS Q8? Our spies noticed the growl of the engine sounded too deep to be an SQ8. Those humongous composite brakes with six-piston calipers up front are also a bit of a giveaway - it’s clear this SUV will have some serious stopping power. The Audi RS Q8 will be based on the same platform as the Lamborghini Urus, so there’s a good chance it will utilize the same 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine.

Whether it will have the same 650-hp output remains to be seen, however. It could be slightly detuned to avoid dethroning the Lamborghini Urus. On the other hand, if it has the same output as Lamborghini’s super SUV, it could pave the way for a more powerful Urus Performante. The production RS Q8 should also have an aggressive spoiler package and larger wheels than the regular Q8 and SQ8. Audi will be lifting the wraps off the new Q8 next month, but the RS Q8 is expected to debut sometime next year as a 2020 model.

The Stylish Audi Q8 Is Here To Battle The BMW X6

At long last, Audi has succumbed to the coupe-SUV craze.

After an exhaustive teaser campaign, which even included a bizarre mini web-series, Audi has finally lifted the wraps off the first-ever Q8 SUV. Essentially Audi’s answer to the BMW X6, the Q8 “combines the elegance of a four-door luxury coupe and the convenient versatility of an SUV.” It’s been a long time coming, frankly, since BMW practically pioneered the coupe-style SUV segment with the X6 over ten years ago. As we suspected, the stylish coupe SUV looks a lot like the original Q8 concept - and that's no bad thing.

Measuring 16.4 feet long, 6.6 feet wide and 5.6 feet tall, the Q8 is wider, shorter and lower than its Q7 sibling, but has a five-seat layout instead of seven. With a wheelbase of nearly 9.8 ft, the Q8 has a surprisingly spacious interior that Audi says beats its direct competitors like the BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE-Coupe. With the rear seats folded down, the luggage compartment holds up to 62.0 cubic feet and 21.3 cubic feet with them up. Aesthetically, the Q8 stands out from the rest of the Q range thanks to Audi’s new styling language first seen on the new A8 flagship sedan. At the front is a prominent singleframe grille with six vertical chrome strips, flanked by matrix LED headlights.

An elegantly sloping roofline highlights the profile, while at the back you’ll find a pair of LED taillights connected with a thin LED bar and a sleek integrated spoiler. Inside, the Q8’s high-tech interior mimics the layout of the opulent A8 limousine, featuring two large touchscreens. A 10.1-inch display is used for controlling the infotainment and the navigation system, while a 8.6-inch display below controls the heating and air conditioning along with other convenience functions. Natural language voice control also understands voice commands like “I am hungry” and will helpfully recommend restaurants nearby.

Instruments are shown in the fully digital Audi virtual cockpit, which has a high-resolution 12.3-inch display that can be switched between two views via the multifunction steering wheel. In terms of powertrains, Audi has so far only announced the 50 TDI version of the Q8 for Europe, which is powered by a 3.0-liter V6 diesel. It uses mild-hybrid technology incorporating a 40-volt electric network, a lithium-ion battery, and a belt-driven alternator-starter. With the engine off, this allows the SUV to run at speeds of up to 100 mph and recover up to 12 kilowatts during deceleration, which improves fuel consumption by about 0.7 liters per 100 kilometers (62 miles).

The 3.0-liter V6 TDI sends 286 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels through an eight-speed tiptronic automatic transmission and Audi’s Quattro AWD system. With this setup, 0-62 mph takes 6.3 seconds. However, in the first months of 2019 the engine range will expand with a slightly less potent 3.0 TDI and a 3.0 TFSI gasoline variant with 340 hp, the latter of which is more likely to arrive in America. The new Q8 will launch in Germany and other European countries in Q3 this year before US sales begin in 2019.

Audi RS5 Vs Lexus RC-F: A Battle Of The Sports Coupe Outcasts

Does the brand new RS5 have what it takes to pummel the old RC-F into submission?

What the heck is the Lexus RC-F up to these days anyways? It’s hard to tell for sure. Aside from popping up every so often for a comparison test, it’s been cast into the margins of two-door sports car society, doomed to go out of existence without a replacement plan in place. Its naturally aspirated V8 will live on in the LC500 for now, but there’s no peep from Lexus about whether or not it’ll offer another sports coupe in the midrange segment.

At least the RC-F isn't alone in its plight for attention. The Audi RS5 was previously the lonely kid in the corner that seemed to get none of the attention while the BMW M3s or M4s and Mercedes-AMG C63s got all the love. That may no longer be the case.

Unlike Lexus seems to have done with the RC-F, Audi hasn’t given up hope just yet. In fact, it has plenty reason to be hopeful. It’s just gotten done revealing the all-new RS5, this time equipped with an impressive 2.9-liter turbocharged V6 producing 450 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque, a dramatic improvement in grunt over its predecessor. Though its specs match its two German competitors (despite the whole quattro all-wheel drive thing), the RS5 must first prove itself against another outcast before it can fight with the big boy sports coupes. Too bad Alfa Romeo doesn’t have a two-door Giulia QV for this.

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New Audi RS6 Will Have Over 600 HP To Battle The BMW M5

But will it remain forbidden fruit in America?

Audi is preparing to fight the BMW M5 and Mercedes-AMG E63 with the new next-generation RS6, and it’s going to be significantly more powerful than its predecessor to fend off its German rivals. According to Autocar, the new RS6, which is due to be unveiled at the 2019 Frankfurt Auto Show, will have the same twin- turbo 4.0-liter V8 gasoline unit as the Porsche Panamera Turbo and Lamborghini Urus tuned to deliver around 605 hp. That’s the same power output as limited RS6 Avant Plus and 43 hp more than the previous RS6. The new engine is also said to deliver an extra 37lb-ft of torque, bringing the total to 590 lb-ft.

For comparison, the M5 produces 600 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque, while the E63 S delivers 604 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque,. Power for the RS6 will be sent through an eight-speed automatic gearbox and Audi’s quattro four-wheel drive system. Autocar also reports the new RS6 will be lighter thanks to its second-generation MLB platform.

As a result, 0-62 mph should take around 3.6 seconds, making it 0.1 seconds quicker off the line than the RS6 Avant Plus. Aerodynamic enhancements should also boost its top speed to 193 mph according to the publication.

The RS6 will arrive next year after the

next-generation S6

, which is also due in 2019. The new S6 will ditch its predecessor’s 4.0-liter V8 for a twin- turbo 2.9-liter V6, which is lighter and more powerful and expected to deliver over 450 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque via an eight-speed automatic gearbox and quattro four-wheel drive.

Question is, will the new Audi RS6 remain forbidden fruit in America? It seems likely given the model's history, but Audi’s Quattro GmbH CEO Stephan Winkelmann has hinted it could happen. We’re keeping our fingers crossed because more performance wagons in America would certainly be welcome right now.

Audi TT RS, BMW M2, Porsche 718 Cayman S Battle For Sports Car Crown

We love when civil war breaks out in Germany.

If there’s such a thing as an addiction to the sound of snap, crackle, and pop, then we sure as hell can’t be counted among those who feed it with Rice Krispies cereal, bubble wrap, or fire crackers. Engines with an uneven mix of cylinders or computer-controlled explosions undergoing crisp downshifts are our preferred way to feeding that, and the Audi TT RS, BMW M2, and Porsche 718 Cayman S are all purveyors lying in the mid five-figure range.

The three recently went to a track to prove why the 0-130 mph test is superior to the industry standard 0-60 mph run, and the winner of the competition was the Audi TT RS. It’s the most expensive of the group, but it has reasons for this. In this case, that would be the all-wheel drive system adding the cost but helping it win the previous competition.

This time around, DriveTribe takes all three cars to the Anglesey Circuit for a third round of vetting. All-wheel drive could either hurt or help the TT RS depending on how the Audi tuned it but at least it has a solid lead. Up until this point, the Audi has won it all, dyno test and 0-130 mph run included. Lap times, however, are a different ball game entirely. The BMW M2 is well-known for its love of corners, though it has a bit of trouble not lighting up the rear tires, and the Porsche has its credentials given to it by the fact that it’s a Porsche but DriveTribe questions its ability to set a good pace. No spoilers here, but it’s safe to say that you can’t go wrong with either of the three.